Brazilian court bars Meta from scraping or training AI on news outlets' content without permission
A São Paulo judge suspended a clause in Meta's new commercial terms, due on 20 November, and set a fine of R$1m a day, capped at R$100m, after a suit by three media associations.
Why it matters
Meta's new commercial terms would have let it collect publishers' content and use it to train AI unless outlets accepted the clause or risked losing distribution on its platforms. Brazil's newspaper, broadcaster and magazine associations, ANJ, ABERT and ANER, asked the court to stop it. Judge Guilherme Madeira Dezem of São Paulo's 44th Civil Court suspended the clause and barred Meta from penalising outlets that refuse. ANJ says it is the first such ruling in the world. Meta has five days to respond, and an appeal is the next thing to watch.
Key facts
- Injunction granted on 3 November 2026
- Judge Guilherme Madeira Dezem, 44th Civil Court of São Paulo
- Brought by ANJ, ABERT and ANER
- Suspends Clause 1 of Meta's terms due 20 November
- Fine of R$1m a day, capped at R$100m
- Meta has five days to respond